Ogdensburg library proposes $649G budget for 2014

OGDENSBURG  Ogdensburg Public Library has a proposed $649,413 budget for 2014, a spending plan supplemented by donations of books, magazines, DVDs and learning materials.

The good news is that people have been very generous, library Director Wayne L. Miller said. That shows that people value the library.

The tentative budget, which was approved recently by the librarys board of trustees, is $66,930 greater than this years $582,493 spending plan. The proposed budget is counting on a $532,712 allocation from the city, less than this years $604,735 contribution.

The increases include salaries that rose from $260,217 to $264,521, mostly because of a 2 percent hike in the childrens librarian pay. Also, the books line item increased from $22,702 to $35,000. Mr. Miller said the state Central Library Program will contribute $25,000 and the city will be asked to contribute $10,000.

It went up slightly, Mr. Miller said of the states contribution to book purchasing.

The $35,000 appropriation, he figured, will buy about 400 books.

Other budget highlights include $4,800 for four new computers at $1,200 apiece, $12,200 for a security system to tag each book with a microchip identification, $5,000 for insurance and $7,000 for a contingency account for departing library employees who have accumulated unused sick time compensation to draw on.

For a second consecutive year, the library will not be counting on $11,502 from St. Lawrence County.

The general expenses such as travel, office costs, building maintenance, utilities and materials/supplies are unchanged from this year.

Mr. Miller will discuss the budget next month with City Manager John M. Pinkerton and City Comptroller Philip A. Cosmo. The spending plan will require City Council approval.

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